Change(L)ing
by CandiedHappiness
Summary: For all of the decades she has spent posing as a human, never has April experienced such a powerful tug from the GummGumm in her as she does while refreshing her human knowledge at Arcadia high. She fights her inner instincts to maintain the balance but another has other plans and knows just how to get what he wants. Strickler/FC (Stripley)#teachercrush R/R strongly appreciated!


Reviews are highly encouraged whether you got two sentences in, or finished the whole thing. Let me know what I can do to make this a better read whether it's the characters, the formatting, the flow, how interesting it is etc. Being in its first stages, there's a lot of wiggle room!

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She couldn't imagine being anywhere else. She couldn't fathom having to blend into a city, always bustling and lit. In the small town of Arcadia, she could be free if she was careful.  
She leaped buildings and scaled their walls. She creeped through their their alleys and watched from their shadowed doorways. The humans were completely unaware of her presence, as they always seemed to be with her kind. There wasn't much to see in the small town of Arcadia, but the breeze was fine and the crickets were lively. She could smell rain on the air and with each breath, it felt as though she were cleansed of human pollution.  
There wasn't much visible to her from the ledge of the High School's roof, but it was enough. She filled her lungs with the cool air and tasted the moisture that was collecting within it.  
It was getting late. Her so called parents would worry.  
As she turned, there was a faint sound like a rolling marble. It skittered just briefly enough that after glancing to her feet and the immediate area, she wasn't sure she even truly heard it.  
She listened hard for a moment more but she could only hear the crickets and a distant car. Wearily she pivoted and with a great leap she left her perch and vanished into the shadows looming towards the empty building.

She could feel eight hours of boredom and restlessness churning inside of her as she momentarily gazed up at High School entrance. Gripping the strap of her bookbag, she heaved a great sigh then she trudged forward. At least there was the knowing that no matter what, time can only go forward and sooner or later, she would be done with that day and she could return to the trees and alleys. So long as she could resist checking the clock every few minutes, it would seem as though time passed quickly.  
The halls buzzed with conversation and were clogged with students not yet drained of their energy and optimism. She could barely hear herself think but it was fine. The only thing running through her head was garbled, muted imagery.  
"April!" Came a nasely, high pitched voice. She looked up to find her friend Layla clumsily pushing through the crowd towards her. "April!" She repeated as she closed the space between them. April stopped and searched her friends face. She was excited for something and she too felt herself becoming elated for her friend. "Layla, what's up? You seem..really excited?"  
The heavyset blonde clapped her hands together and nodded furiously. "You will not believe-" Her hands rose to her cheeks while she took a moment to compose herself before continuing, "You will not believe what happened last night!"  
April took a step down the hall and Layla followed without missing a beat, "Did you finally beat that CutieCrochet92 in one of those contest things?"  
"No, that would be ama-zing! But no. This? Is even better!" Layla giggled. "Carlisle Carson added me on TalkNow!"  
April rose her brows somewhat in disbelief. "He did? How did he get your handle?"  
Layla shrugged. "Who cares? He added me and we talked a little aaand-" She turned in a circle then leaned against a locker with a thud. "We have so much in common, April! I didn't know anybody else on the whole PLANET liked PB and Mayo!"  
With a chuckle, April turned her rested against the locker beside Layla, partially to get out of the stream of students. "That's pretty niche. You two can have that as a wedding cake."  
Layla nudged her with her elbow but after a moment of silence she asked, "Do you think-"  
"Not a single bakery in Arcada, Lays."  
The bell then rang and the pair sighed in unison. "Well, the last shred of freedom has been 'dinged' away. Let's go now before all the good seats are taken."  
With a nod, Layla lifted herself from the locker and followed April as she sliced through the crowd confidently. Or perhaps with blase. Either way, they made good time through the thick crowd and were able to snag somewhat decent seats. They at least got to set beside each other.  
"I hope we don't get assigned seating." April mumbled to Layla.  
"We'd literally be at opposite sides of the room."  
"I still think you should change your last name so we don't have to worry about it."  
Layla rolled her eyes harmlessly, "You know that costs way too much, right?"  
"More than what it's worth to sit beside your bestie?" April feigned a puppy face and they laughed, a bit louder than they meant to.  
"Oh good, you're already warmed up." chimed what was unmistakingly the voice of their teacher.  
The pair's laughter was cut short and they both brought their attention up front. Their teacher, an older man with a prominent nose and a rather impressive pompadour like do scanned his class with a confident half-smirk. April's eyes locked on him as her skin seemed to tighten against her muscles. She couldn't pull her gaze away and her perception of time was affected in such a way that she hadn't realized she was staring until his eyes locked onto hers.  
It was as though her skin had melded to her muscles, firm as stone, and she dug her fingers into the top of her desk forgetting that she hadn't had her claws right then. A flicker of recognition flashed through his eyes but he quickly looked away.  
"Now then, if you'll all please be seated, I would like to get started as soon as possible." he began.  
Still, her eyes would not leave him.  
"April!"  
She jumped in her skin, her desk making a sharp scraping noise against the linoleum. She made an effort to ignore the quizzical gazes and she instead looked to Layla. "What?"  
Layla was facing April but she quickly sat back and looked forward. April followed her gaze and found the teacher at it's end. She sank into her desk meekly.  
"Is there something the class ought to know, Ms-?"  
Layla was silent, so April spoke up instead. "Er, no I just-"  
"Excellent." He interrupted somewhat impatiently. For a moment she thought she was freed from the center of attention but he continued, "You're name?"  
She could feel her ears burning and perhaps her cheeks too shown red, but she didn't know for sure. "Oh, uhm, A-april?"  
"April what?"  
The silence was pressing in on her. She could almost feel each eyeball boring a red-hot hole into her. With a great deal of effort, April managed to squeak, "Ripley.", and avert her gaze in hopes it was disengaging enough to free herself from his scrutiny.  
There was a titter among the students and she wasn't sure why.  
For a moment, his eyes remained and she could feel it. For every second he remained focused on her, the urge to burst into her GummGumm skinn gripped her.  
"Apes, are you gonna be okay? You look kinda..catatonic."  
April glanced to the teacher to make sure he was focused on something else before she whispered back. "I'm fine. It's okay."  
Layla wasn't convinced, none the less, she sat back, eyeing April.  
The whole class was a warbled bubble of confusion and information. She couldn't focus yet at the same time her hand seemed to mindlessly jot in whatever information the paper before her requested. She wasn't sure if she'd signed her own name half of the time or put in the correct date. The need to keep her ears pricked for his every sound and every move dominated her mind.  
She glanced up at him every now and then but only in quick blinks so as not to get caught. What was it? Why did she feel like she knew him and why did it make her feel so-  
She couldn't think of the word.  
He was her teacher of course, but it filtered deeper through her than that. But why? None of the other teachers commanded such an impulse. They were just a bunch of squishy humans, after all.  
She nearly shot up straight from her desk but she managed to keep herself anchored in place though her brows made up for the lack of the overall cooperation of her body. April glanced to Layla who was too focused on her own papers to notice her friends sudden epiphany.  
It was no small effort for April to ever so cautiously raise her focus back to him. He was half bent over another desk but he must have felt her gaze for he peered over his shoulder directly at her. She fought the impulse to lower her gaze and kept it locked onto his as long as she could.  
Could he be? Could it be why he had such influence over her?  
He narrowed his eyes but not with hostile intent. He seemed to be testing her. He knew, and he likely knew from the start.  
When he stood erect, she gave and looked down at her paper. His footsteps were clear on the linoleum and again she stiffened. She awaiting his arrival but she didn't know what to expect. April scanned the sheet as if reading it and she kept scanning and scanning until she realized too much time had passed. She peered up through her bangs and found him leaning against the front of his desk with his arms crossed as well as his ankles. It was as though nothing had happened.  
She wasn't sure if she was relieved, or if it was a sort of quiet before the storm.

The bell rang and she jumped. This time she just stared at her paper and forced herself to ignore the glances, which, the second time around, were now more bemused than quizzical.  
Layla stood beside April's desk. "Ape's, I'm officially appointing myself as your caffeine moderator. "  
April brushed back her bangs. "It's-it's not the caffeine I just-"She glanced up to the teacher who was preoccupied with answering some other student's question about one of the hand-outs. His back was mostly towards her. "I don't know, but I"ll get over it."April stood up and gathered her things. "What do you have next?" she implored, eager to change the subject.  
"Biology. Not even the fun bio either."  
"Oh. I've got English. Not even the fun English."  
They laughed and for the moment, April felt somewhat normal.  
Layla turned to the door. "I gotta go. Sorry. It's all the way on the other end of the hall and I still have to use the bathroom."  
"Hold on, me too. I'll walk with you there."  
The girls shoved their things into their bags and set out. As they reached the door, he called out.  
"April?" She stopped, gripping her bag to her chest. Layla turned and met April's eyes. There was a silent panic between them. "If I may have a word with you. Layla, you may go."  
With an apologetic frown, Layla mouthed 'sorry' and scurried to the hall. For a moment, April fingered the zipper of her bag before turning to face him. She was nearly startled to find him already a few feet away. The class was empty and everybody outside the door was too busy talking and walking to bother peeping in.  
They were silent and the noise in the hall seemed muted by their suspense. She realized she could smell his cologne, clean and spiced, and for a brief moment, it made her dizzy, but it passed quickly. He looked down on her and she kept her eyes on one of the buttons of his shirt. He was the first to break the silence. "I thought you might want this back."  
April looked up at him and almost stepped back as their eyes met but she quickly averted her gaze down to his outstretched hand. Reflexively she put her hand to her chest where her necklace should have been.  
"Where..where did you find that." She asked a bit more urgently than she meant. Her eyes were fixed to the copper coin like disc strung on a leather strip, a charm to conceal her while she's in her GummGumm form.  
He raised a brow. "It was on the stairs just outside the front doors. I found it this morning while coming in. "  
April looked back up at him and found nothing but an assuring gaze. Still, she reluctantly reached up and took the charm between her fingers. Suddenly his hand closed around hers and his other lay over it. "I would be careful if I were you. Such fine pieces in the wrong hands could be bad for more than your wardrobe."He paused just long enough for April to furrow her brows warily. "Truly it's a unique piece. Is it perhaps an heirloom?"  
April stared at his hand, willing it to open so she could take back her hand and leave.  
His fingers uncurled and she slowly retracted her arm then pressed her charm against her chest.  
"How did you know it was mine." She implored, barely above a whisper. Still she didn't meet his gaze.  
"It doesn't work so well when it's not around your neck." was all he offered as he nodded towards her charm. April gripped it tighter and her other hand formed a tight ball not of anger, but worry. She met his gaze and he searched her but for what, she didn't know. Finally he spoke but not in English.  
"I could smell you on it." April's brow knit together as she tried to make sense of what was happening. "How did you get that?"  
Cautiously she responded, "I've had it for decades. I won it off of another."  
He chuckled at that, seemingly in approval. "You're not as meek as you seem."  
She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.  
Meek? Her?  
But she remembered that mysterious aura she'd never experienced before and how it tipped her world. How the confusion seemed to stunt her. "No. Normally I'm a spitfire. I don't know what the hell that was today."  
"It's normal." He verbally shrugged. "Don't be embarassed."  
April looked directly at him. "Embarassed?", she scoffed, "Whatever that was, it was beyond my power and it sure as hell wasn't who I am."  
"Oh no, I'm aware. In fact it seems to be shining through now."  
She crossed her arms. 'Damn straight' she thought but she only looked off to the side. "Anyway, that's not gonna be a regular thing, right?"  
He contemplated his answer in a seemingly intentionally impish way. "Normally, yes, however, you seem to be quite over it."  
"Fine. Good. That was weird and I'd rather not have to deal with that." April exhaled then turned to leave.  
"All it took was a bit of prodding. It normally takes much more if it works at all."  
She stopped and half-turned towards him. "What are you getting at?"  
He crossed his arms haughtily, "It's rare I find another who can so easily cut through my influence on them."  
"Well, great but, if you're trying to recruit me into your halfling army or whatever, sorry-" she stopped short and rather than explain herself, she simply shrugged.  
"Oh no, nothing like that."  
She met his gaze and what somewhat irritated by this strange, vague game. Maybe his face would give it away but instead she felt a tug from deep within her and flushed. "Guess I'd better go." She blurted. She didn't look back once the whole walk to her next class. She forgot to look for Layla in the bathroom but that was the least of her worries.  
When he was sure she was gone, he sat on the edge of his desk and heaved a great sigh. "So it begins."

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AN

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Please feel free to leave a review! It can be positive or criticism! I check the stats from time to time and I'm so open to any suggestions whether it's for April, Layla, the formatting, the plot, the flow, whether it's boring etc.

Alright, I touched it up a little. I wrote the first draft after downing some 187ml of wine at 3 am and I'd be lying if I said I'm not shocked it wasn't a total drunken disaster. I was thinking about it during work and thought maybe the the submissive scared-of-him angle was a bad start. I hope this version is received better.


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